Measuring device



April 1.3 1926.

L. K. DE BUS MEASURING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1921 Patented Apr. 13, 192.6.

'UNITED STATES LOUIS K. DE BUS, OF CNCIIINATI, OHIO.

MEASURING DEVICE.

Application led April 29,

To all whom t may con-cern.'

Be it known that I, LoUis K. DE Bus, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Measuring Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in measuring instruments.

The objects of this invention are to provide a measuring rule with means for facilitating the reading of small fractional measurements, as for instance thirty-seconds, sixty-fourths and even smaller parts of an inch; also to provide means for reading millimeters with equal facility and to simplify the translation of measurements from terms of one system into terms of another system.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device showing the slidable attachment thrown back in dotted line position; Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of part of the device showing the attachment n position; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the carriage with parts broken away.

lVith the ordinary measuring rule it 1s quite'diliicult to read the exact measurement because of the ineness of the spacing between the marks on the rule. With the present device the coarse reading is madein inches or in terms of the metric system from the main part 1 of the rule and the line reading is then made from the dial 2, 1f 1n inches, or from dial 3, if in terms of the metric system. The coarse and line readings are then added to obtain the correct measurement.

The main part 1 of the rule is provided with a rod 4 whose ends are set in the ends of the rule as at 5 and soldered or secured in any other suitable manner so as to be flush with the faces of the rule. This rod extends beyond the ends of the rule so as to permit 1921. serial No. 465,477,

ing being. then made entirely from the dial. The carriage 6, which carries the dials 2 and 3, is swivcled at 8 upon the rod 4 and is provided upon its under face with slightly tapered pins 9 for precise registering engagement with the holes 10 formed in the rule at point-s opposite the inch marks.

.The attachment 6 is provided with a rackway -11 for co-operation with a pinion 12 carried by the lower end of the pin 12 upon which is mounted the dial plate. The-pin 12 is rotatably mounted upon a slide member 13 which is provided with grooves 14, 15 formedby strips 14 and 15a secured in any suitable manner tothe underside of member 13, for slidable engagement with the overhanging strips 16, 17 on the -attachment 6. Strips 16 and 17 may be secured to thevupper surface of rack bars 11, as for instance by soldering, or in any other suitable manner` so as to provide a slidable engaging means. Stops 18 and 18. are provided upon vthe bottom of the slide-way so as to limity the movement of theattachment along the rack. The slide member 13, which isV of disc form, has its front edge portion turned down as a. flange 19,v which carries the finger or indicator 20. This linger has close contacting engagement with the face of the rule and will move along the rule upon turning theV pinion 12 by meansof the knurled button 21 which is threaded on the pin 12. The top edge of the linger 20 is cut down so as to provide a seat for the lower face of the dial plate. The parts are so constructed and arranged that one complete rotation of the dial plate corresponds to one inch, which means that during a completeA rotation of the dial plate the linger 2O will travel one inch along the rule. However, it might be desirable in some vinstances to manufacture these measuring devices with a rack and pinion wherein one revolution of the pinion would carry the measuring device more or less than an inch. This form of construction would be desirable if the dial were used on a rule or scale divided for the metric system, in which case itwould be desirable to have the kpinion travel on the rack a fractional part of a meter. The dial plate, which may beformed formed integral with the outer dial, has engraved thereupon millimeters corresponding to one inch, that is, 25.4 millimeters. Still .liner measurements can be indicated upon the dials, it so desired. As will be apparent both of the dials can be read at the same time, and the Zero marks on the two dials coincide. The middle part of the pin or hub l2 is square in cross section so that the dials will move therewith and if desired the dial 3 can be formed separatly and set down over the same squared hub portion and clamped in position upon the dial 2 by means of the button 2l. The button 2l can be locked in position in any suitable manner if so desired.

rllhe operation is briefly stated as follows. The one end otl the rule is plated at the end or' the object to be measured and it for instance the other end et the object terminates between the 9 and 10 inch marks, the attachment is set so as to bring the linger 20 between the marks 9 and l0. The attachment is so positioned by moving it along the rod and dropping the `pins 9 into the holes l0. Then starting with the Zero ot the dial opposite the reading edge :20Z1 ol:` the 'tinger 20, which linger is then at 9, the dial is turned until the edge 2Oa coincides with the end of the object. Then the dial is read at the edge 2Oa and this reading added 'to the nine inches to obtain the correct measurement.

Or, if it is desired to obtain the measurement in terms olf the metric system, the number of millimeters read upon the inner dial, opposite the edge 20a, is added to the number of millimeters, 228.6, in this case, found at the inch mark on the rule.

Then too, if it should be desired to translate a measurement .t'rom terms of inches into millimeters, or vice versa, this can be done by setting the slidable carriage so as to `permitthe linger 20 to be adjusted between the numbers of inches next above and next below the number given in the measurement. Ol' course the dial is then set with its Zero mark at the edge 20a. Then by adjusting the dial with respect to the edge 20a so as to count ottl the remaining fractional part of an inch, the correspond- 'ing reading in millimetersat the edge 20 vwhen added to the number of millimeters read from the main part of the rule and corresponding to the whole number ot inches will 'give the correct measurement in millimeters.

Some olf the advantages flowing from this invention are the greater facility with which a line measurement can be read, in either terms of inches or terms ot' the metric system, and also the simplified method of translating a measurement from terms of one system to terms oit another system. Among the several uses to which this device might be put is its use as a depth gauge. Other advantages will readily suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which it relates.

I do not restrict myself to the particular lorm and details otl structure here shown since the present disclosure is merely for purposes ot' illustration and might be modified to meet dili'erent conditions and uses without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A measuring device comprising a rule with units ot measurements indicated thereon, a linger movable along said rule for cooperation therewith, and means co-operating with said linger and movable along said rule and substantially within the lateral limits thereof tor indicating fractional parts ot' said unit of measurement.

2. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurement indicated thereon, a linger movable along said rule tor cooperation therewith, means evo-operating with said tinger and movable along said rule tor indicating fractional parts of said unit o1" measurement, and means located within the lateral limits ot said rule for setting said means at predetermined points along said rule.

3. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurements indicated thereon, a finger movable along said rule for cooperation therewith, and rotary means cooperating with said tinger and movable along said rule and substantially within the lateral limits thereot` for indicating fractional parts ot' said unit ot' measurement.

Il. A measuring device comprising a rule with units ot' measurement indicated thereon, a carriage movable along said rule and having an indicating tinger for (fo-operation with the indications upon said rule, and means tor moving said indicating linger relatively to said carriage through a unit ot measurement, said carriage being provided with a scale extending in substantially a single plane for indicating fractional parts ot said unit orn measurement according to the position ot said linger.

5. A measuring device comprising a rule with units ot, measurement indicated there.- on, a carriage siidably and swingingly mounted iter movement along and toward and away trom said rule, respectively, and having an indicating nger .tor co-operation with the indications upon said rule, and

means for moving said indicating linger' having an indicating finger for co-operation vwith the indications upon said rule, and means rotatable upon said carriage and in a plane substantially parallel With said rule for moving said indicating finger relatively to said carriage through a unit of measurement, said carriage being provided with a scale indicating fractional parts of said unit of' measurement according to the position of said finger.

7. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurement indicated thereon, a carriage movable along said rule and having an indicating fingerfor co-operation with the indications upon said rule, a dial rotatable upon said carriage for indicating fractional parts of said unit of measurement, said indicating finger being movable on said carriage along said rule, and means for actuating said finger and dial so as to indicate fractional parts of said unit of measurement according to the position of said finger.

8. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurement indicated thereon, a carriage movable along said rule and having an indicating finger for co-operation with the indications upon said rule, a dial upon said carriage for indicating fractional parts of said unit `of measurement, said indicating linger being movable on said carriage along said rule, and rotary means foi' actuating said linger and indicating fractional parts of said unit of measurement, according to the position of said finger.

9. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurement indicated thereon, a carriage movable along said rule and having an indicating finger for co-operation with the indications upon said rule, means confined substantially Within the lateral limit of said rule for setting said carriage at predetermined points along said rule, and means for moving said indicating finger on said carriage through a unit of measurement, said carriage being provided with a scale for indicating fractional parts of said unit of measurement according toI the position of said finger. i

10. A measuring device comprising a rule with corresponding measurements of different systems indicated thereon, a finger movable along said rule for co-operation there- -with, a dial movable along said rule and rotatable in a plane substantially parallel therewith for co-operation with said finger to indicate corresponding fractional parts of units of said systems of measurement.

11. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurement indicated thereon, a carriage movable along said rule and having an indicating linger movable thereon along said rule for co-operation With the indications upon said rule, a dial upon said carriage for indicating fractional parts of said unit of measurement, and means for actuating said finger and indicating fractional parts of said unit of measurement upon said dial according to the position of said finger, said means including rack and pinion mechanism.

l2. A measuring device comprising a guide member, a finger movable along said guide member, a rotatable dial movable Without rotation along said guide member and adapted for rotation in a plane substantially parallel With said guide member to indicate fractional parts of a unit of measure-- ment.

13. A measuring device, comprising a guide member, a finger movable along said guide member, said finger ht ving an edge adapted to engage the Work and also to serve as a reading edge, and a dial rotatable in a plane substantially parallel with said guide member for co-operation With said reading edge to indicate fractional parts of a unit of measurement.

14. A measuring device comprising a guide member, a finger having a reading edge and movable along said guide member, a dial rotatable in a. plane substantially parallel With said guide member for co-operation with said reading edge to indicate fractional parts of units of measurement of different systems.

15. A measuring device comprising a rule with units of measurement indicated thereon, a carriage movable along said rule and having an indicating finger for co-operation u' ith the indications upon said rule, a rotatable dial movable With said carriage Without rotation thereof, means for setting said carriage in predetermined positions along said rule corresponding to full units of measurement, and Ameans for moving said indicating finger relatively vto said carriage through a unit of measurement, said carriage being provided With-a scale extending in substantially a single plane for indicating fractional parts of said unit of measurement according to the position of said finger.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

Louis K. DE Bus. 

